Well before the holidays, the team begins collecting funds and donations of pet-related items. During a single jam-packed lunch hour December 7, they hope to fill more than 130 holiday-wrapped boxes with pet food, treats, toys, leashes and pet-care products.

The UC Davis veterinary students will distribute the gift boxes to their clients and pets at the monthly clinic Saturday, December 10 in Sacramento.

While pet supply companies provide the food and some of the other items for the holiday pet baskets monetary donations for the toys and treats and to help the clinic supplies and operational costs are still needed through the generosity of the community.

Would you like to help?

Since the Holiday Pet Basket Program and the Mercer Clinic are entirely dependent upon donations, they ask for your help with monetary donations.

To contribute, please make out a check to UC Regents - Mercer Holiday Pet Baskets and mail it to:

For more information about how you can help make the Mercer Holiday Pet Basket program a success this year, please contact coordinator Eileen Samitz, (530) 756-5165 (evenings), emsamitz@ucdavis.edu, or visit the website where a convenient PDF form is provided to accompany your donation at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/clubs/mercer/donation_holiday.html.

For more information about the Mercer Clinic see the website at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/clubs/mercer/donation/index.cfm
which provides a PDF form also. You are invited to view the “photo gallery” slide show. To make a donation for the Mercer Clinic anytime, please make your check out to Mercer Veterinary Clinic and mail it to:

Since 1992, the Mercer Clinic has provided the pets of homeless individuals with basic veterinary care, access to emergency care, and pet food, all free of charge. The clinic is open on the second Saturday of each month, staffed by faculty and practitioners who volunteer their time and supervise veterinary students, who run the clinic. Veterinary students also gain valuable experience as they apply their studies and work alongside veterinarians to learn veterinary responsibilities and client communication skills.

In addition to improving the lives of the pets of the homeless, the Mercer Clinic works to reduce pet overpopulation by arranging free spay/neuter surgery for the animals.

The clinic takes place at Loaves & Fishes, 1321 West "C" Street, Sacramento. The Mercer Clinic has received the American Veterinary Medical Association Humane Award and the Sacramento SPCA “Humane-itarian” award for its work with this special population of animal companions.